Airplane



April l3, 1937. w. K. ROSE 2,077,070

7 AIRPLANE Original Filed Jan. 15, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS W. K. ROSE April 13, 1937.

AIRPLANE Original Filed Jan. 15, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR,

TTORNEYS April 13, 1937. I w. K. kosE 2,077,070

AIRPLANE I Original Filed Jan 15, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. lA/fl/fam K. @016 BYE M W. K. ROSE AIRPLANE April 13, 1937.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Jan. 15, 1934 INVENTOR. W/'///'0/77 K. Ros

A TTORNEYS Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIRPLANE William K. Rose, New York, N. Y.

16 Claims. (Cl. 244-42) This invention relates to airplanes and more particularly to a wing structure therefor which provides for the passage of air through the airfoil as a means for influencing the lift drag .ratio (L/D) of the airfoil. The invention is adapted foruse in airplanes of the monoplane, biplane or multiplane type irrespective of whether the airfoil is a continuous structure having its span extending from wing tip to wing tip, or is a two part structure divided at the fuselage with one wing attached to each side thereof, or is in part continuous and in part divided. The lift and drag coefiicients of the wing structure on opposite sides of the fuselage may be similarly influenced for control about the lateral axis of the plane, or oppositely influenced for control about the longitudinal axis of the plane as is now commonly practiced in the use of ailerons.

This application is a continuation of application serially numbered 706,780, filed January 15, 1934 and allowed August 10, 1936.- It is a continuation in part of application serially numbered 706,779, filed January 15, 1934 and allowed August 10, 1936, and application serially numbered 706,781, filed January 14,1984 and allowed August 10, 1936. In this application, as in application serially numbered 706,780, is disclosed and fundamentally claimed a form of passageway through the airfoil which is employed in the structure shown and described in said applications serially numbered 706,779 and 706,781, and in continuations of said applications filed on even date herewith and serially numbered respectively 110,146 and 110,147.

In this application and in the continuations just enumerated the passageways for air through the airfoil are curved and extend from the lower surface of the airfoil to the upper surface thereof. In certain instances the inlet opening at the lower surface is nearer to the front of the airfoil than to the rear thereof, and in other instances the reverse is true; in certain instances the curvature of the passageways from bottom to top is upward, and in other instances downward. In all of such instances the object of the invention is to give the passageways such form that air passing therethrough will develop an internal force operating either to increase or decrease the lift drag ratio. In developing such internal force the broad principles of theturbine are utilized.

In this application for convenient illustration of the form and operation of such passageways they are shown in the wing structure on both sides of the fuselage as extending through the airfoil structure from bottom to top with their openings at the top rearward of the openings at the bottom and with their curvature from bottom to top upwardly. In such airfoil construction further objects of the invention will now be enumerated.

One of said objects is to utilize said' passageways in increasing the lift and decreasing the drag of the airfoil as a whole.

Another of said objects is to direct the air on leaving said passageways rearwardly over the top of the airfoil to reduce substantially the turbulences and vortices accumulating along the upper surface of the airfoil in wing structures not provided with the present invention.

Another of said objects is to afford means for reducing the excessive travel of the center of pressure now characterizing solid airfoils at varying angles of attack.

Another of said objects is to afford means for increasing the angle of attack without stalling over that now obtainable in solid airfoil construction.

Another of said objects is to provide a structure and means whereby the said passageways may be opened and closed, and more particularly whereby said opening and closing is effected at the top of the' passageways rather than at the bottom thereof. In attaining this object the vanes or blades bounding and defining the passageways may themselves be movable, or if fixed other movable parts may be provided.

Another of said objects is to provide a structure and means whereby on opening the said passageways the camber of the airfoil, and more particularly at the nosepiece, is increased.

Another of said objects is to provide a structure and means whereby the span of the airfoil may be decreased and its chord increased respecting the proportions now commonly employed with solid wings, with increased efiiciency of the airfoil over the solid type of construction.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent as this description proceeds.

The prior art offers many examples of slotted airfoils, but in no .case known to me are there' disclosed in the prior art passageways so formed and constructed as to operate on the principle of a steam turbine or to develop therein an internal force operating to influence the lift drag ratio of the airfoil. Referring more particularly to the upwardly and rearwardly curved passageways employed for illustration in this application and embodying the general form of passageway herein disclosed, the air on passing therethrough increases in velocity without altering or modifying the turbine effect and on discharging from the passageways rearwardly along the top of the wing combines with the force generated in the passageways in giving greater lift and less drag than is obtainable with any of said prior art structures. I have discoveredthat it is not desirable to construct the vanes or blades which bound and define the passageways, whether movable or fixed, in the usual form of wing contour illustrated in certain of the prior art patents, but on the contrary that the upper curved surfaces of said vanes or blades should be carried well back as in a steam turbine so that the air passing through the passageways will produce the desired reaction of both an upward and a forward pressure. Generally speaking, heretofore the theory has been just to balance out the turbulences and undesired reactions above the wing, and a straight line passage for air through the slots was provided even though the slots were curved. Such slots operate practically the same as though they were straight instead of curved and if opened to a substantial extent the air passing therethrough from the bottom of the wing to the top by decreasing the pressure below the wing and increasing the pressure above the wing reduces the lift of the wing below that of a solid wing. In the passageways of this invention even when fully open it is preferable to avoid any straight line passage therethrough for air from the lower surface of the wing to the upper surface of the wing. In distinguishing from the prior art, therefore, in the present invention as herein embodied it should be noted' that the structure not only performs the function of removing or eliminating to a large extent turbulences and vortices above the wing, but also utilizes the air movement and pressure within the passageways in a useful manner to produce a lift and a forward impulse. By curving the blades or vanes well backward toward the rear at the upper surface of the airfoil as herein set forth all of the air going through the passageways and therein operating in the manner of air on the blades of a turbine engine will perform useful work.

The importance of the foregoing fundamental characteristics distinguishing this invention from the prior art are well illustrated by early tests conducted under my directions. Thus, for example, when using a Clark Y model altered in accordance with this invention in one of these tests a 37 angle'of attack was attained without stalling and with the wing having a lift drag ratio of 4. At an angle of attack of 22 the lift drag ratio in this test was about 6, and this without the use 0H flap. In comparison with the Clark Y wing modified in accordance with certain prior art structures of slotted wings. the lift drag ratio with my invention was more at' a 37 angle of attack than the Clark Y model as thus altered in accordance with the prior art at a 20 angle of attack, although the aspect ratio was 6 with the prior art slotted Clark Y as against 4 altered in accordance with my invention. In these early tests I have been able to cut the drag at high angles of attack to less than one half of that ordinarily occurring with the solid wing, and even at the 37-angle of attack have secured an increased lift.

Obviously the high lift drag ratio made possible by the employment of. my invention is of great importance in taking off and in landing and may, of course, be taken advantage of dur-. ing flight particularly where added maneuverability is desired. Furthermore, it permits decreasing the span and increasing the chord of the airfoil respecting the proportions nowcommonly employed with solid wings, and in this regard meets a. demand long sought for in airfoil dimensions.

With the foregoing preliminary discussion of my invention, I now proceed to a detailed presentation thereof. In so doing I have chosen as a means for illustration a high wing monoplane of conventional form equipped with landing gear for taking off and landing on the ground. It should be understood, however, that this is pure- 13* for convenient illustration and is not to be considered in any sense as limitative on the scope of the invention. The drawings are in large part schematic. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of the airplane provided with a wing structure embodying one form of this invention in which the vanes or blades bounding and defining the pasageways are movable;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the airfoil of Fig. 1 approximately on the line 2-2 thereof showing the passageways closed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing the passageways fully opened;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of the airfoil shown in Figs. 2 and 3, being a cross-sectional outline of the vane or blade construction thereof with the vanes or blades in closed position and having the mean cross-sectional lines of the passageways formed by the vanes or blades illus-- trated in dot and dash lines;

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding with Fig. 4 with the passageways open as illustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of one form of manually actuated control mechanism for use in shifting the vanes or blades when movable, said mechanism in partbeing shown in Figs. 2 and 3; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on a reduced scale similar to Fig. 3 illustrating another form of my invention in which the blades or vanes bounding and defining the passageways are fixed rather than movable.

Referring to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the fuselage l of the airplane is provided with similar wings I and 3, one mounted on each side thereof. The wings at the rear are each formed with a trailing edge section 6 which as illustrated, though not of necessity, occupies approximately one-third of the wing chord between ailerons 4 which are mounted on lateral spanwise extending portions of the trailing edge sections 66 in a manner well understood in the art and which form no structural part of this invention. From the outer ends of the lateral extensions of the trailing edge sections 6 wing tip sections 5-5 extend forwardly to to leading edge of the wing. The trailing edge sections 6, their lateral extensions and the wing tip sections 5 are formed with the usual bracing and framework commonly employed in airfoil structure and for that reason not herein shown. Aside from the reversal of the wing parts necessitated by the fact that one wing is to the left and the other to the right of the fuselage, the wings are of identical construction and the description of the construction, therefore, can be limited to one wing only, the left wing 2 being selected for this purpose.

Reference being bad to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the leading edge of the wing is formed with a nosepiece III of accepted camber. The nosepiece at the rear terminates in a wall which comprises a blade or 'vane II. The trailing edge section 6 at the front terminates in a wall which comprises a vane or. blade l6. Between the nosepiece blade or vane l l and the vane or blade I 6 of the trailing edge section are suitably mounted blades or vanes l2, l3, l4 and ii. The nosepiece Ill with its rearwardly extending vane or blade "I l, the vanes or blades i2, I3, l4 and I5, and the forwardly extending vane or blade l6 of the trailing edge section extend longitudinally of the wing substantially the entire span thereof between the wing tip section 5 and the fuselage l. The nosepiece Ill and the vanes or blades l2, l3, l4 and i5, like the trailing edge section 6, are preferably hollow except for necessary framework not shown.

There may, if desired, be nested in the trailing edge section 6 a suitably mounted flap l'l' which functions in the usual way except that'there is provided a fixed passageway l8 formed as a U-slot which (except for structural framework at the sides and intermediate bracings not shown) extends throughout the width of the flap from top to bottom and deflects the air passing therethrough rearwardly when the flap is moved downwardly resultingin a decrease of drag at this point. Opening and closing the passageways bounded and defined by the vanes or blades Ii, l2, l3, ll,

l5 and I6 is herein illustrated as effected by relative movement of the vanes or blades themselves. Relative movement thereof to this end may be variously obtained with appropriate mounting of the vanes or blades selected accordingly. However this movement is brought about and however the vanes or blades are mounted, the organization should preferably incorporate means for controlling the extent to which the said passageways are open from a substantially complete closure thereof to a maximum opening in which substantially no air can flow through the passage-' ways in a straight line, so that throughout the operative range of opening the reactive principle of the turbine is utilized with all of the air going through the passageways.

I Asherein shown the nosepiece ill with its integral blade or vane ll and'the vanes or blades l2, l3, l4 and i5 by suitable constructions 20, 2|, 22, 23 and 24 are pivotally mounted in the framework of the wing tip section 5 at their outer ends so and in suitable framework provided in the fuselage i at their inner ends. ture and framework suitable for this purpose are well within the knowledge of those skilled in the art and are not, therefore, herein specifically illustrated, the structure being such that the nosepiece ill with its integral vane or blade i l and the vanes or blades l2, l3, l4 and I5 may be rotated upwardly from the closed position shown in Fig. 2 to the open position shown in-Fig. 3 and vice a0 versa. The vane or blade IS on the forward end of the trailing edge section Gas will be apparent from the foregoing is fixed and not in itself movable in respect to the airfoil. The pivotal points of support of the nosepiece i0 and the vanes or blades l2, l3, l4 and i 5 are shown as near their lower surfaces about midway thereof. As will later appear this location of the pivotal points is optional.

The bottom surfaces of the vanes or blades i2, l3, l4, l5 and I6 conform with and in large part determine the lower" camber of the wing and shouldbe formed to accord with the desired lower camber. As shown in the airfoil arbitrarily chosen for illustration, the under surface of the 7 wing to the rear of the nosepiece is substantial- The mounting strucly straight and without camber in the closed position of the vanes or blades illustrated in Fig. 2. Hence, the lower surface of the vanes or blades l2, 13, ll, l5 and it are straight and lie in a plane. From the bottomsurfaces of the 5 vanes or blades l2, l3, l4 and IS the vanes are curved upwardly and rear-wardly, the curves on the forward surfaces of the vanes or blades being convex and thoseon the rear surfaces being concave, the rate of curvature of the forward 10 surfaces of the vanes or blades beinggreater than that of the rearward surfaces thereof so that the vanes or blades gradually taper in crosssection from the bottom to the top. The rearward surface of the vane ll curves upwardly 15 and rearwardly fromthe lower surface of the nosepiece 10 in a concave curve of lower rate of curvature than that characterizing the forward surface of the vane or blade I 2. The forward surface of the vane or blade l6 curves upwardly 20 and rearwardly from the lower surface of the trailing edge section 6 in front of the flap l'l in a convex curve of greater rate of curvature than that characterizing the rearward surface of the vane or blade I5. The upwardly and rearwardly curved surfaces of each of the vanes or blades may join the lower fiat surfaces thereof in angular formation as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, or this juncture may be rounded e. g. as in Fig. 7. The height of the vanes or blades and 30 the conformation of their top surfaces to rear of the overlap by the vane or blade next in front conform with and in large part determine the upper camber of the wingandgshould be determined and formed to accord with the desired up- 35 per camber. This will be readily understood from the upper wing camber arbitrarily chosen for illustration without detailed description.

The vanes or blades II and l2, l2 andl3, i3 and l4, l4 and l5, and l5 and I6, respectively 40 bound and define spanwise passageways 35, 36, 81, 38 and 39 extending from the lower surface of the wing to the upper surface thereof. Inv closed position of the vanes or blades the passageways are closed at the top and the cooperating concave surfaces and convex surfaces of the adjacent vanes or blades meet in the upper camber line of the airfoil. When the nosepiece and its vane or blade iiand the vanes or blades i2, i3, i4 and. I5 are rotated upwardly on their pivotal mountings the passageways are opened, means later to. be described being provided so that even in maximum open position there is no straight line path for air through the passageways. 'In all operative open positions of the passageways I have found it advantageous so to construct and arrange the vanes or blades that the passageways themselves gradually diminish in cross-section from bottom to top with their respective mean cross-sectional lines gradually flattening from bottom to top. Satisfactory results have been obtained-in testing with curvatures such that the stream of air going through the passageways is deflected at substantially right angles to its plane of entrance, said mean cross-sectional lines of curvaturesof the passageways thus subtending an angle of approximately 99. In such a structure the stream of air is discharged from the passageways along 70 the upper surface of the wing substantially parallel with the lower surface ofthe .wing or the mean camber line thereof.

In the structure illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 the curvature of the vanes or blades is such that the mean cross-sectional lines of each of these passageways is that of a logarithmic spiral, following in this respect the theoretically correct curvature for turbines, see, for example, "Gen- 6 trifugal Pumps" by R. L. Daugherty (McGraw Hill Book Co. Inc. 1915), bottom of page 53. This is illustrated in Figs. 4 and which show .the segment mF-m of a logarithmic spiral as the mean cross-sectional line of each passage- 10 way. It should be understood that this is for purposes of illustration only. Following more strictly the turbine teaching as indicated I throughout the description hereof, thebest results obtained by me were with the logarithmic spiral mean cross-sectional line of curvature.

As is readily understood, however, by mathematicians and physicists, there is such a close resemblance in segments of various spirals, the involute, logarithmic, Archimedes, parabolic. trumpet, hyperbolic, etc., that "designers and builders of airfoils may find it convenient to employ segments of any one of the known spirals without departing from the teachings herein set forth, so that it must not be understood that in illustrating in the preferred form a mean crosssectional line forthe passageways following the logarithmic spiral the invention is to be limited thereto. In the claims hereunto appended em- ,ploying the term "segment 0! sfiii'al" I haveused said term in itsbroadest sense without lim itation either to the logarithmic spiral or to any other known form of spiral.

Aside from such alterations in airfoil construction as is necessitated by the incorporation of my, invention in the wing structure, the airfoiland the airplane as a whole are intended to be constructed along conventional standardized lines. Suitable and well known mechanism is tobe provided for operation of the ailerons 4' and-"the flaps n, as will readilyheunderstoodp,

Mechanism for opening and closing. the passageways 36, 66, ll, 36 and 30, with-appropriatemeans for limiting the extent of the opening as.

limitative, other forms of controlbeing available without departing from the spirit ofmy inven-' tion. More particularly, the nosepiece II with its vane or blade II, and the vanes; or blades I2, l3, l4 and II are each provided with a slot 46 in tached to the end of the short arm 42 of a bell crank suitably pivoted at its elbow as at 48 to the fuselage framework (not shown) adjacent the mounting for the inner ends of the vanes or blades. The slots 40 are so positioned in the nosepiece HI and the vanes or blades l2, l3, l4 and ii that when the bell cranks are moved about theirrespective pivotal points 46 substantially uniform motion is given to the vanes or blades II, II, l3, l4 and II for assuring a substantially uniform opening of the passageways, the pins 4! moving along the slots in the changing positions of the vanes or blades in a manner well 70 known in a mechanism of this sort. The lower and longer arms 44 of the said bell cranks extend downwardly from the pivotal points 41 being pivoted at their ends to a connecting rod 46 which is substantially parallel with the lower surface .76 the wing or the mean camber u L which is loosely mounted a pin 4lfixedly at- It will be understood that the operating structure thus far described is that provided for the wing 2 at the left of Fig. 1 and that said mechanism is to be duplicated for the wing 6 at the right of Fig. 1 as isshown schematically in dotted lines on the sides of the fuselage 1.

The operating mechanism just above described is suitably connected for simultaneous and uniform actuation from the fuselage, either automatic or manual, to the end that the passageways of both wings shall be simultaneously opened and closed and the extent of their opening identical. For simplification of illustration I have shown a manual control for this purpose. Each of the connecting rods 46 is provided with an actuating bell crank 46 pivotally mounted at its elbow as at 41 to the fuselage (not shown) above referred to. The upper arms of the bell cranks 46 are each provided with a slot 46 in which is loosely mounted a pin 46 fixedly attached to its respective connecting rod 46. The

lower arm of the bell cranks 46 are each pivotally connected at their ends with a link 60, which links 60 are in turn pivotally connected respectively with the crank arms II and 52 rigidly attached to a rock shaft 53. Thisrock shaft which is rotatably mounted in the fuselage in suitable journals, is provided with'a crank arm 54 rigidly attached thereto. This crank arm 54 is connected by a link 66 with a crank arm 66 rigidly attached to a worm gear wheel 61, the link being pivotally connected with the outer ends of the crank arms 64 and 66 as will readily be understood. The worm gear 61, which is rotatively mounted in the fuselage in suitable journals meshes with a worm 66 rigidly attached on a post 5.6. rotatably mounted in the fuselage and provided with a wheel or crank 66 conveniently located for operation by the pilot. The worm 66 and the worm gear 61 are of such pitch and construction that the worm gear with its crank arm 66 may be readily turned by the pilot, this action, however, being irreversible so that the parts are locked in any position to which they are moved by the pilot. Suitable stops 6i, 62 are provided which coact respectively with the arms II and 62 on the rock shaft limiting the upper movement thereof. Furthermore theloose motion slots 46 and 40 may preferably be of such length as to coact with their respective pins 4| and 46 in limiting the upward opening movement of the vanes or blades.

The operation of the mechanism just described, it is believed will be readily understood without detailed description. 'As shown in Figs.'2 and 6 the position of the mechanism is such as to maintain the nosepiece l6 and its vane or blade II and the vanes or blades l2, I3, l4 and II in their lowermost position with the passageways 66, 36., 61, I6 and is closed. When the pilot turns the wheel or crank 60 in a direction to cause counter clock-wise movement of the crank arms 66, 64, 6| and 62 the 'links 50 are raised, the bell cranks 46 aremoved about their pivotal points 41 in counter clock-wise direction and coincident therewith the connecting rods 46 are simultaneously moved forwardly. Note Figs. 2 and 3. This forward movement of the connecting rods 46 causes clock-wise movement of the bell cranks 42-44 about their pivotal points of support 46, thus moving the nosepiece l6 with its vane or blade H, and the vanes or blades l2, l6, l4 and I5 upwardly to'fopen the passageways as is illustrated in Fig. 3. With the passageways open, reverse movement of wise movement of the bell cranks 45 and counter clock-wise movement of the bell cranks 42-44 thus moving the nosepiece with its vane or blade H, and the vanes or blades I2, l3, l4 and I5 downwardly to close the passageways. construction and operation of the stops 6| and- 62 in relation to the crank arms 51 and 52 respectively and the interaction of the slots 40 and 48 and their respective pins 4| and 49 should be such as to arrest opening. movement of the vanes or blades H, l2, l3, l4 and IS in positions which prevent a direct line of vision through the passageways 35, 36,- 31, ,38 and 39 from bottom to top, I

Means are thus provided for control of the extent to which the passageways 35, 36, 31. 38 and .39 are open from a complete closure thereof to a maximum opening in which substantially no air can flow through the passageways in a straight line. The vanes or blades I I, l2, l3, l4 and I5 may be swung forwardly and rearwardly on their pivots and relative movement between their adjacent surfaces within the limits just described either automatically or manually controlled.

In taking off, during flight and in landing in the normal operation of the airplane within permissive angles of attack the air pressure beneath the airfoil is in excess of that above the airfoil. Whether the vanes or blades ll, l2, l3, l4 and 15 be actuated automatically or manually, it is on that excess of air pressure beneath the airfoil'over that above the airfoil that my invention operates. So long as that excess exists air will flow upwardly through the passageways 35, 3B, 31, 38 and 39 provided thepassageways are open, and regardless of the extent of the opening. Within the operative limits of the opening, above set forth, the air in passing through the passageways, is subjected to a gradual change of momentum in a curved path, and develops within the wing structure itself internal forces operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag, the reactive principle of the turbine being utilized at all times regardless of the extent to which the passageways are open. Opening and closing the passageways at the top is important in contributing to this action particularly in intermediate positions of the vanes or blades, for in such arrangement the cross-sections of the passageways graduallydiminish from bottom to top at all times from closed position of the vanes or blades to their maximum open position above defined.

Coincident with the development of an internal force within the airfoil by air going. through the passageways, as above explained, the air on leaving the passageways at the top of the airfoil sweeps rearwardly over the upper surface thereof in a path substantially parallel with the lower surface of the airfoil or the mean camber line. This stream of air eliminates in large part the turbulences and vortices which would otherwise accumulate along the upper surface of the airfoil. Furthermore, this air stream meets the air curling. upwardly and forwardly over the trailing edge of the wing at increasing angles of attack and tends to prevent burbling. The drag of the airfoil is greatly diminished and the burbling angle substantially increased over that of solid airfoils.

Tests have shown that the lift drag ratio of the airfoil of Figs. 2 and 3 in open position of the passageways is somewhat improved by the location of the pivotal points 20, 2i, 22, 23 and 24 and The by the angular junction of the cm'ved surfaces of the-vanes or bladesl2, l3, l4 and IS with their straight lower surfaces as specifically illustrated in said figures. In such construction when the.

vanes or blades are swung upwardly and forwardly as shown in Fig. 3 the front portions thereof will present depending projections 25, 26, 21 and 28 which will act to intercept some of the air passing rearwardly along the lower surface of the airfoil inrelation to the line of flight and deflect the same upwardly through the passageways. As heretofore indicated, however, this structure is optional and the lower surfaces of the vanes or blades maybe rounded, if so desired, and/or their pivotal points moved forward to avoid the depending projections on. movement of the vanes or blades toopenposition.

Furthermore, by pivotally mounting the nosepiece as above described to be operated in conjunction with the vanes or blades, on moving the nosepiece and the vanes or blades upwardly and forwardly about their respective pivots the upper camber of the airfoil is increased. This increased camber, more particularly at the front of the airfoil, cooperates with the passageways in increasing the lift of the wing and making possible higher angles of attack without stalling.

The increased lift drag ratio of alrfoils embodying 'my invention may be variously utilized in the operation of the plane or in the construction thereof. As to operation, assuming for illustration that the vanes or blades are to be operated manually by the pilot, it is probable that on taking off the pilot will open thepassageways to their maximum extent. This is particularly true if thepilot has a comparatively straight away flight it is probable that the pilot will close the passageways and thus cut to a minimum the resistance of the wing for maximum forward speed. On landing it is probable that the pilot will open the passageways to their maximum extent, thus enabling him to reduce the speed of his plane in marked degree over that-permissible in airfoils of solid construction and to descend in a steeper path and land in a much smaller fleld' than otherwise would be P ssible.

It should be understood that the control of the plane as just above illustrated may be automatically simulated.

The increased angles of attack made possible by my invention are of course, advantageous not only in commercial flying, but in military operation of army and navy planes, adding greatly to their maneuverability as well as to their possibility of taking off and landing in small. unconditioned emergency fields selected at random as necessity demands.

Reverting now to the form of my invention illustrated in Fig. '1, comparison of that flg'ure with Fig. 3 discloses that except for the fact that the nosepiece and the vanes or blades are fixed rather than movable the constructions are substantially identical. Fig. 7 may be considered as a cross-section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 with the fixed nosepiece and vanes or blades substituted for the movable nosepiece and vanes or blades of Fig. 1. Thus the construction'of the wing illustrated in Fig. -7, embodies the trailing edge section 6 rigidly attached to the fuselage lv and provided with its lateral spanwise extension to which the aileron l is suitably attached and from which extends forwardly the wing tip section 5, all as previously described. The nosepiece l0 of accepted camber terminates at the rear in a wall which comprises a vane or blade ll. Between the nosepiece blade or vane H and the vane or blade IQ of the trailing edge section are fixedly mounted blades or vanes l2, ll, I4 and IS. The nosepiece ill with its rearwardly extending blade or vane l I, and the vanes or blades l2, l3, I4 and I5 extend longitudinally of the wing substantially the entire span thereof between the. wing tip section i and the fuselage I to which they are fixedly attached, suitable framework (not shown) being provided for this P ID The vanes or blades ll, l2, l3, M, I! (and of course It) are curved. precisely as are their corresponding vanes or blades in the airfoil of Figs. 2 and 3, and the mean cross-sectional lines of curvature of the passageways formed and defined thereby are identical with those previously described in connection with the said airfoil, said mean cross-sectional line gradually flattening from bottom to top and subtending an angle of approximately 90. The lower surface of the vanes or blades l2, II", I4 and II. however, instead of forming the slightly notched lower surface of the airfoil specifically illustrated in Fig. 3, are constructed to form a smooth lower surface of the airfoil of desired streamline camber. As specifically illustrated the lower surfaces of the vanes or blades l8, l4 and II lie in the plane of the lower surface of the trailing edge section 6 in front of the flap l1 and the lower surface of the vane or blade I! slopes slightly upward from the rear to conform with the lower camber of the nosepiece l0. Furthermore as heretofore stated, the juncture of the curved surfaces of the vanes or blades with their lower surfaces is rounded rather than angular. The passageways formed and defined by the vanes or blades gradually diminish in cross-section from bottom to top and the vanes or blades are so positioned that there is no straight line passage for air through the passageways from bottom to top. As readily will be understood the airfoil of fixed passageways Just described mounted on the left side of the fuselage of Fig. l, is to be duplicated on the right side of the fuselage.

The airfoil of fixed passageway illustrated in Fig. 7 has the samefunctional characteristics as the airfoil-of Figs. 2 and 3, except that its lift drag ratio is a constant mher than variable at a given angle of attack and velocity. Thus air in passing through the passageways from bottom to top, operating on turbine principles. develops a force in the wing structure itself which increases the lift and decreases the drag; and the stream of air discharged from the passageways travels rearwardly over the upper surface of the airfoil in a path substantially parallel with the lower surface of theairfoil or its mean camber line, eliminates in large part the vortices and turbulences which would otherwise form on the upper surfaceof the wing, meets the air curling upwardly and forwardly over the trailing edge of the airfoil at'increaslng angles of attack and tends to prevent burbling, and thus decreases the drag of the airfoil and substantially increases the burbling angle over that of a solid airfoil. It is believed that the functioning and operation of the airfoil of fixed passageways will, therefore,

ao'movo made possible by my inventio whether the passageways characterizing the same be fixed or whether their opening be adjustable by one means or another, is a shortening of the span and a lengthening of the chord. The number of passageways illustrated in both forms of my invention is optional and within limits is to be determined by the type of plane desired and the use towhich it is to be put.

I have discovered that with airfoils embodying my invention the excessive travel of the center of pressure at the changing angles of attack characterizing airfoils of solid construction is greatly diminished. There is, however, considerable change in the chordwise location of the center of pressure along the lower surface of the wing in changing angles of attack in part due to operation of the plane within the increased angles of attack made possible by my invention. It is advantageous to space the passageways along the bottom of the airfoil and to have a sufficient number thereof so that the center of pressure in its travel back and forth chordwise of the lower surface will so far as possible be positioned substantially in line with one of the passageways in all permissible angles of attack.

I have further discovered that the lower surface of the vanesor blades should be substantially wider than the passageways so that the airfoil will have a lower supporting area on its under surface substantially in excess of the combined cross-section area of the passageways at their bottom.

In respect to number of passagewaysand the relation of their size of opening to the width of the vanes or blades at the bottom, the airfoils following Figs. 2, 3 and 'l have been found to give satisfactory results, but as hereinabove set forth the structure there shown is illustrative and not limitative.

with these considerations in mind (the travel of the center of pressure and the supporting area of the lower wing surface) the airfoil designer and constructor by properly determining the number of passageways to be employed may regulate the span and the chord of theairfoil embodying my invention to suit best the t pe of plane to be designed and-constructed and the use to which that plane is primarily to be put. Where speed is the primary consideration the span may be shortened and the chord lengthened to a greater extent than is now possible with the airfoil of solid construction. When weight carrying is the primary consideration the span may not be shortened and the chord may not be increased to the same extent as for maximum speed requirements, but great improvement is possible over solid wing structures in cutting down head resistance by shortening the span. In either case the shortening of the span and lengthening of the chord are accomplished without loss of lift during operative open positions of the pasill characterizing those structures.

sageways if within the limitations above set forth their number be properly determined, and

by confining the mass weight of the plane within above set forth) are dependent upon the direction of curvature upwardly and rearwardly With the upwardly and rearwardly curved passageways embodying my invention the resultant force vector computed at the center ,of pressure is directed upwardly and forwardly at less than a 90 angle from the reference chord line of the wing as examples of the effect in changing the direction of curvature, the following are noted:

If the passageways are curved downwardly and forwardly the resultant force vector computed as above would be directed downwardly and forwardly at less than a 90 angle from the reference chord line, and the force developed in the wing structure would decrease the lift and the stream of air discharged from the passageways would-increase the drag of the airfoil. Such passageways are set forth in my previously defined application Serial No. 706,781, filed January 15, 1934, and in the continuation of that application Serial No. 110,147, filed on even date herewith, wherein said passageways are illustrated in combination with upwardly and rearwardly curved passageways for lateral control of the plane aboutv its longitudinal axis 1 and wherein claims are directed to that combination.

If the passageways are curved upwardly and 1 forwardly the resultant force vector computed as above would be directed upwardly and rearward 1y at less than a 90 angle from the reference chord line of the wing and the force developed in the wing structure, while adding lift thereto would operate as a drag tending to retard the speed of the plane. The air discharged from the passageways in aforward and upward direction would likewise induce a drag. Such passageways are set forth in my previously defined application Serial No. 706,779, filed January 15, 1 934, and in the continuation of that application Serial No. 110,146, filed on .even date herewith, said passageways are illustrated in combination withupwardly and rearwardly curved passageways for' regulating the lift ,drag ratio of the airfoil to accord with the conditions of take-off flight and landing and wherein claims are directed to that combination.

I have, thereforejdevelbped and herein disclosed and broadly claimed passageways which- 1. An airplane wing structure provided with a plurality of vanes'or blades forming passageways thereb'etween extending through the wing from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof,

the vanes or blades being formed with coopcrating curved surfaces so constructed and arranged that the cross-section 'of each passageway gradually diminishes from inlet to outlet thereof andhas as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and comprises the segment of a spiral, the vanes or blades being so placed that there is no appreciable straight line passage for air therebetween,

whereby as pressure air passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating-to influence the lift drag ratio thereof. V

2. An airplane wing structure provided with a plurality of vanes or blades forming passageways therebetween extending through the wing from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof, the vanes or blades beingformed with cooperating curved surfaces extending upwardly and rearwardlyv from the lower surface of the wing and being so. constructed and arranged that the cross-section of each passageway gradually diminishes. from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and subtends an angle of approxi-'- mately 90, the vanes or blades being so placed that there is no appreciable straight line passage. forair therebetween whereby as pressure air passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag thereof.

3. An airplane wing structure comprising a nosepiece terminating at the rear in'a wall having an upwardly and rearwardly curved surface constituting, a vane or blade, a trailing edge section terminating at the front in a wall having 'an upwardly and rearwardly curvedsurface constituting a vane or blade, a plurality of vanes or blades each having upwardly and rearwardly curved surfaces mounted intermediate the. nosepiece vane or blade and the trailing edge section vane or blade, the adjacent surfaces of said vanes orblades cooperating to form passageways therebetween extending through the wing from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof and being so constructed and arranged that the cross-section of each passageway gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and subtends an angle of approximately 90, the vanes or blades being so mounted that there is no appreciable straight line passage for air therebetween, whereby as pressure air passes throughthe' said passageways internal forces are deveioped in the wing operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag thereof.

,4. An airplane wing structure formed wit s'panwise passageways extending therethrough upwardly. and rearwardly from the lower surface to the upper' surface thereof, each of said passageways being bounded and defined by vanes or blades formed with cooperating curved surfaces so constructed and arranged that the cross-section of each passageway gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to topand comprises the segment of a spiral, the vanes or blades being so placed'that there is no appreciable straight line passage for air therebetween,.whereby as pressure air passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag.

5. An airplane wing structure formed with spanwise passageways extending therethrough upwardly and rearwardly from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof, each of said passageways being bounded and defined by vanes or blades formed with cooperating curved surfaces so constructed and arranged thatthe cross-section of each passageway gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and comprises the segment of a spiral, the I vanes or blades being so placed that there is nov appreciable straight line passage for air therebetween, the curvature of the blades being such that air passing upwardly through the passageways is discharged substantially parallel with the mean camber line the vanes or blades being so constructed and arranged that as pressure air passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag.

6. An airplane wing structure formed with a plurality of spanwise passageways extending therethrough upwardly and rearwardly from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof terminating in parallel slots in the upper surface of the wing to the rear of the peak of the upper camber of the wing, each of said passageways being bounded and defined by vanes or blades formed with cooperating curved surfaces so constructed and arranged that the cross-section of each passageway gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and comprises the segment of a spiral, the vanes or blades being so placed that there is no appreciable straight line passage for air therebetween, the curvature of the blades being such that air passing upwardly through the said slots is discharged substantially parallel with the mean camber line, the vanes or blades being so constructed and arranged that as pressure air passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag.

7. An airplane wing structure having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough from the lower surface to the upper surfacethereof, said passageways being formed and defined by members located intermediate the leading-and trailing edges and extending longitudinally of the wing to near the outer end of the wing structure, each of said members having its lower end flat and lying substantially in the plane of the lower surface of the wing with its forward and rear edges rounded, each of said members being curved upwardly and rearwardly from bottom to top with a tapering cross-section terminating in a lineal edge lying substantially in the plane of the upper surface of the wing and being characterized by such curvature that respecting any one of the said passageways the rate of curvature of the surface constituting the rearward boundary of the passageway is greater than that constituting the forward boundary of the passageway, and the members being so constructed and arranged that each of the said passageways gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has no appreciable straight Iine passage for air from bottom to top and has as the mean line vof its cross-section a curve gradually flattening from bottom to top. whereby pressure air on passing upwardly through the said passageways develops an internal force producing a lifting action and decreases the drag and is then directed rearwardly toward the trailing edge of the wing substantially parallel with the mean camber line thereof.

8. An airplane wing structure formed with passageways extending therethrough from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof, each of said passageways being boundedand defined by vanes or blades formed with cooperating curved surfaces so constructed and arranged that the crosssection of each passageway gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and comprises the segment of a spiral, the vanes or blades being so mounted that there is no appreciable straight line passage for air therebetween, whereby as pressure air passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating to influence the lift drag coefllcient thereof, and means for controlling the extent to which the said passageways are open from a substantially complete closure thereof to a maximum opening in which substantially no air can flow through the passageways in a straight line.

9. An airplane wing structure provided with a plurality of vanes or blades forming passageways therebetween extending through the wing from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof, the vanes or blades being formed with cooperating curved surfaces extending upwardly and rearwardly from the lower surface of the wing and being so constructed and arranged that the crosssection of each passageway gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its'mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and-subtends an angle of approximately 90,

and means for opening and closing said passageways at the top thereof and for controlling the extent to which the said passageways are open from a substantially complete closure thereof to a maximum opening in which substantially no air can flow through the passageways in a straight line, there being no appreciable straight line passage for air from bottom to top through the passageways in any permissible opening thereof, whereby as pressure air passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag thereof. r

10. An airplane wing structure comprising a nose-piece terminating at the rear in a wall having an upwardly and rearwardly curved surface constituting a vane or blade, a trailing edge section terminating at the front in a wall having an upwardly and rearwardly curved surface constituting a vane or blade, a'plurality of vanes or blades each having upwardly and rearwardly curved surfaces mounted intermediate the nose?- piece vane or blade and the trailing edge section vane or blade, the adjacent surfaces of said vanes or blades cooperating to form passageways therebetween extending through the wing from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof and being so constructed and arranged that the crosssection of each passageway gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and subtends an angle of approximately 90, and means for opening and closing said passageways at the top thereof and for controlling the extent to which passageways are open from a substantially complete closure thereof to a maximum opening in which substantially no air can pass through the passageways in a straight line, there being no appreciable straight line passage for air from bottom to top through the passageways in any permissible opening thereof, whereby-as pressure air passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag thereof.

l0 11. An airplane wing structure formed with spa'nwise passageways extending therethrough upwardly and rearwardly from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof, each of said passageways being bounded and defined by vanes or blades formed with cooperating curved surfaces so constructed and arranged that the cross-section of each passageway gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to 2 top and comprises the segment of a spiral, the vanes or blades being so mounted that there is no appreciable straight line passage for air therebetween. whereby as pressure air passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag, and means for controlling the extent to which the said passageways are open from a substantially complete closure thereof to a maximum opening in which substantially no air can flow through the passageways in a straight line.

12. An airplane wing structure formed with spanwise passageways extending therethrough upwardly and rearwardly from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof, each of said passageways being bounded and defined by vanes or blades formed with cooperating curved surfaces so constructed'and arranged that the cross-section of each passageway gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve whichgradually flattens from bottom to top and comprises the segment of a spiral, the

vanes or blades being so mounted that there is no appreciable straight line passage for air therebetween, whereby as pressure air passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag, and means for efiecting relative movement between the vanes or blades and thereby controlling the extent to which the said passageways are open from a substantially complete closure thereof to a maximum opening in which substantially no air can flow through the passageways in a straight line.

13. An airplane wing structure formed with spanwise passageways gtending therethrough upwardly and rearwardly fromthe lower surface to the upper surface thereof, each of said passageways being bounded and defined by pivotally 60 mounted vanes or blades formed with cooperating curved surfaces so constructed and arranged that the cross-section of each passageway in all positions of its. bounding vanes or blades gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its 65 mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and comprises the segment of a spiral and the vanes or blades being so mounted that there is no appreciable straight line passage for air therebetw'een, whereby as pressure air 70 passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating to increase the llft'and decrease the drag, and means for swinging the vanes or blades forwardly and rearwardly on their pivots and for controlling the 75 extent to which the said passageways are open from a substantially complete closure thereof to a maximum'opening in which substantially no air can flow through the passageways in a straight line.

14. An airplane wing structure provided with a pivoted nosepiece so constructed and arranged that when the nosepiece is swung forwardly on its pivot its effective upper camber is increased, the nosepiece being formed at the rear with an upwardly and rearwardly curved surface, said wing structure being formed with a plurality of spanwise passageways extending therethrough upwardly and rearwardly from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof, each of said passageways being bounded and deflned by pivotally mounted vanes or blades, the rear wall'of the nosepiece constituting the forward vane or blade of the passageway nearest the leading edge, the vanes or blades being formed with cooperating curved surfaces so constructed and arranged that the cross-section of each passageway in all positions of its bounding vanes or blades gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and comprises the segmentof a spiral and the vanes or blades being so mounted that there is no appreciable straight line passage for air therebetween, whereby as pressure air passes through the said passageways internal forces are developed in the wing operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag, and means for swinging the nosepiece and the vanes or blades forwardly and rearwardly on their pivots and for controlling the extent to which the said passageways are open from a substantially complete closure thereof to a maximum opening in which substantially no air can flow through'the passageways in a straight line.

15. In an airplane the combination of a power driven propeller, a wing characterized by a chord comparatively long in relation tolthe span and provided with numerous spanwise passageways extending therethrough upwardly and rearwardly from the lower surface to the upper surface thereof from the front of the wing to well toward the rear of the wing, each of said passageways being bounded and defined'by vanes or blades formed with cooperating curved surfaces so constructed and arranged that the cross-section of each passageway gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and comprises the segment of a spiral, the vanes or blades being so placed that there is no appreciable straight line passage for air therebetween, and projections depending from the lower surface of the wing acting to direct a portion of the air stream beneath the wing upwardly through said passageways, the said passageways being so constructed and arranged that the air thus passing therethrough develops internal forces in the wing operating to increase the lift and decrease the drag of the plane in flight.

16. In an airplane of the character described, the combination of a power driven propeller, a fuselage, a pair of wing members mounted on the fuselage, each wing member including a plurality of pivotally mounted blades, the pivotal points of the respective blades extending parallel .with the span of the wings and the blades being characterized as formed with plane bottom surfaces lying substantially in the same plane as I the lower surface of thawing from which the ,blades are curved. and tapered upwardly and rearwardly so that their upper ends lie in substantially the same plane as the upper surface of the wing in the closed position of the blades, the cooperating curved surfaces of the blades being such that the cross-section of each passageway bounded and defined thereby gradually diminishes from bottom to top and has as its mean line a curve which gradually flattens from bottom to top and comprises the segment of a spiral, means for swinging the blades upwardly 10 around their pivotal points to open air passageways between the blades from the lower surface of the wing to the upper surface of the wing and for controlling the extent towhich said passageways are open from a substantially complete closure thereof to a maximum opening in which substantially no air can flow through the passageways in a straight line, the formation and mounting of the blades being such that when in open position the front surfaces of the blades constitute projections depending from the lower surface of the wing acting to direct a portion of the air stream beneath the wing upwardly 10 through said passageways.

WILLIAM K. ROSE. 

